Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-10-07
AGRICULTURAL.
ceu. Grour. Wilmington Address.

cen. Grouts Wilmington Address.
Hon W W. CIRCUITS address delivered at
the Wilmington fair last week was such an
one as might be expected from a man Of
the speakers well-knowu scholarly attain
ments, coupled with his ample experience
and excellent success ms practical farmer.
Gen. Grout is a good lawyer, he has done
good work in Congress and will do more
but some Of his best work has been done in
renovating and rehabitating and bringing
up to a high state Of productiveness the
old home farm at Kirby, just out of st.
Johnsbury.
Farming, Gen Grout said is a life work,
the successful prosecution Of which requires
IA knowledge Of all the natural sciences.
Geology, which teaches the nature and for
nation Of the rocks, sand and soil-the
structure of the things with which the
farmer has to deal botany, which pertains
to all vegetable life philosophy, which
teaches the operation Of natural law me
teorology, which treats Of the weather and
atmospheric conditions entomology, which
tells of the insect life injurious to vegeta-
of soils and the constituent elements of all
substances-all these are branches Of natu
raj science which touch the life and work
of the farmer at every point. The benef
cent results Of the researches Of scientists
are To be seen everywhere in their effect on
the agriculture Of today. 1t is easy to laugh
at book farming" and to say that what is
wanted is practical sense and hard work
but the real fact is that the combination
which makes the successful farmer in the
true sense is that of the scientist and prac-
tical agriculturist in one. The American
farmer ought to be better educated He
need not know Greek and Latin and the
higher mathematics he need not be "A con-
nuisseur in art or fine critic in music but
he needs broad, sound knowledge Of those
scientific principles which underlie his call
ing. He needs this in order that he may
make the most Of his business and realize
the hest results attainable from his work
He needs, for instance, TO know where
and how to apply the best fertilizer so that
it will yield him the best returns But he
cannot do this if he does not know the con
stituent elements of the soil and cannot de
termine Of what one it has been robbed or
in what it is lacking-in short, if he does
not understand agricultural chemistry.
What should he do, then He should send
his boys to an agricultural college such as
we have in this state, and such as the peo-
pie Of every state have through the wise
action of Senator Morrill,, Nermont's hon
ored senior senator. In such school the
boys will be equipped for their calling as
other boys are fitted for their lifework and
the fathers meantime must read the papers
and avail the nseves of the results of all
scientific research i'll their behalf, including
first Of all that of the agricultural expert
ment stations
After expressing his approval Of ali legis-
lation which aims to tighten the burden of
the farmers increase their store of knowl-
edge, and give them security against the
loss Of their crops by the ravages Of insects
or Of their stock by disease the speaker de
voted a few minutes to the discussion of
the labor question, and then went on to say
that the problem which confronts the farm
his fathers The first essential for his sue
cess is to feed on his farm all the farm pro
duces then let him save all the resulting
product of fertilizers-Sdrc il dH see that
none even of the liquids escapes-and the
result will make the difference between
prosperity and decay. The speaker Lmctr,
he said, that it would pay to do this he
knew that it would pay to smooth rough
piece of ground, put some fertilizer on it.,
and make it fit for the farm tools to run
over it. Green food is the best for stock
and he would feed all the green food obtain
able, even if to do this he had to build silo
and get laughed at by his neighbors for do
ing it.
The farmer who knows enough to do
some of these primary and essential things,
and who also knows enough to sell when
some one else wants to buy, TO keep out of
lawsuits, to let it rain when it rains and
not fret about it, and to let rum and tobac-
co alone-such a farmer will succeed and
there is no better place for him to succeed
than right here on our New England farms
Brains will show their quality on the
farm as well as anywhere else. They are
the best fertilizer Edmund Burke said il
required more intelligence and foresight tC
be good farmer than for any other occu
patton and he was right about it. Tn,
strength of this or any other country is t.
be found in the prosperity of its small far
mers. When Rome was at its best a farm
of seven acres was the limit-seven acre.
well titled by the citizen himself But thos,
days of simplicity and frugal industry wen
by luxury and ease took their place, anC
Rome fell. If when the Cloths and Vandal
Numbered at the doors of the imperial city
every Roman citizen had been the tiller O.
his farm of seven acres, the invaders woul,
have Numbered in vain The landowner
of every country are the countrys strength
There will be no peace for Ireland till tn,
common people can own the land
When the American farmer learns to b.
true to his vocation in the highest sense h,
will take his place where he belongs-at tn
head of the diversified interests and pur
suits of the country
A New Hampshire Opinion.